The Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province have unanimously rejected the blessing of same-sex marriages.
The bishops
made their stance known in a communique signed by their chairman and secretary,
Archbishop of Lagos and Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Most Rev Alfred Martins, and Most
Rev Francis Adesina, respectively, after their plenary meeting on Thursday, Feb 8, in Lagos.
The clerics
said they were in total agreement with the position of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, that declared no to the blessing of same-sex
unions.
Aligning with
the position of the CBCN and that of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of
Africa and Madagascar concerning the blessing of homosexual unions or same-sex
couples, the bishops said: "We affirm that the teaching of the Catholic
Church on marriage as the union of a man and a woman in a stable and exclusive
relationship, open to bearing children, remains the same. We also affirm the
Church’s teaching on human sexuality and urge the faithful to be guided by
it."
The Vatican
had on December 18, 2023, approved a landmark ruling to allow Catholic priests
to administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of
regular church rituals or liturgies, nor given in contexts related to civil
unions or weddings.
A document
from the Vatican’s doctrinal office approved by Pope Francis, said such
blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God
welcomes all.
However, Pope
Francis' approval was met with criticism.
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